Submitted Photo Greg Simas, one of pro rodeo’s top announcers, is returning for his 17th year to emcee the 81st annual Gerry Rodeo from the back of his horse Elvis.

GERRY – The Gerry Fire Department has always had the goal of making their pro rodeo “top notch” and that goal continues for the 81st consecutive year as Greg Simas, one of pro rodeo’s most skilled and experienced announcers, returns for the 17th year to guide fans though the exciting rodeo action for four nights, August 5-8.

Simas is in great demand as he has worked in 34 U.S. states, seven Canadian provinces, and seven cities in Australia. Included among his many honors are working 15 PRCA Circuit Finals, two times Ram National Circuit Finals, twice announcing the National Breakaway Roping Finals. Emcee for the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, Emcee for the National Finals Rodeo Welcome Reception, the National High School Finals and many more He has also announced for Monster Truck Jams and the Professional Bull Riders events.

Simas, a California native, is an ex-Marine sergeant, who began his rodeo career with a five-year stint as a bull rider with the Military Rodeo Cowboys’ Association. He got into announcing by accident when the regularly scheduled announcer failed to show up, and he was drafted to fill in. Since that unexpected beginning, he has become one of pro rodeo’s most sought-after announcers. His skills are not only appreciated by thousands of rodeo fans across the country, but have attracted several big-name sponsors including the American Hat Company Wrangler Jeans, Justin Boots, and Shangri La Horse Farm

He is presently working nearly 100 rodeo performances across the country each year. He is only the second announcer from east of the Mississippi to appear at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. He travels more than 60,000 miles a year by plane and his camper/trailer

Simas says his job as the Emcee each night is to not only describe the action and to interact with the clowns and specialty act, but he wants to provide the fans with information about the sport of rodeo as well as the stock and competitors. To do this job well, he says he spends about three hours each day on his computer preparing for that night’s performance. He is one of the few announcers who does his job in the arena on his horse named Elvis. He says this puts him in the middle of the action where he can interact with the fans as well as the cowboys and cowgirls. He added that much of the credit goes to Elvis, who safely carries him around the arena for two hours each night despite the noise and arena action.

When he is not on the road, Simas loves to fish, hunt, golf, and work on his Pennsylvania farm where he lives with his wife Jen, a barrel racer and a trainer of barrel racing horses, and their two sons. Additional information about him may be found on-line at www.gregsimas.com.

Painted Pony Pro Rodeo of Lake Lucerne is returning as the stock contractor and will be bringing more than 125 head of stock to Gerry where more than 200 pro cowboys and cowgirls will compete for $50,000 in prize money in the traditional eight rodeo events, which include saddle and bareback bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping, and the ever dangerous bull riding. A free kids’ rodeo is set for 4:00 on Saturday afternoon.

Also featured are the famous beef barbeque dinners with beef cooked outdoors for eight hours over wood fires and served with all the trimmings from 5:00 to 8:00 each evening in the air-conditioned dining hall. In addition, the midway has more than 20 vendors with everything from cotton candy to fried dough and Western wear.

The rodeo website www.gerryrodeo.org and phone (716) 985-4847 are available for additional information and pre-sale tickets. Because of overcrowding on certain nights, tickets will be date specific this year.